Jeopardy's Alex Trebek Taking Medical Leave After Brain Surgery

Kristin Armstrong

Trebek appeared in a video on the Jeopardy Facebook page Thursday to announce that he'd had the surgery during the show's holiday break.

Trebek downplayed the operation as "a slight medical problem". He spent two days in the hospital and returned home to continue recuperating. About two months later, he was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma and underwent surgery to remove it.

The show's producer, Sony Pictures Entertainment, said in a statement that Trebek was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 15 and underwent surgery the following day.

Trebek is set to return to taping "Jeopardy" in mid-January. He said his prognosis is "excellent", and he expects to be back taping "Jeopardy!" shows "very, very soon".

The show's broadcast schedule will not be affected as the program tapes shows months in advance.

Production on Jeopardy! has been put on a brief hiatus while longtime host Alex Trebek recuperates from surgery. Last year, he extended his contract through the 2019-2020 season, which will be the game show's 36th year on the air in its current form.

Egypt: hot air balloon crashes, killing 1 touristJan 05, 2018 - 12:26
Strong winds led to the crash, causing the balloon to veer off course about 45 minutes into the flight, officials said. The Karnak Temple Complex, which dates back to around 2000 B.C., is located within the modern-day city.

Republican Senator Hatch says he will not seek re-electionJan 03, 2018 - 02:21
In a very statesman-like way, Romney said Hatch "represented the interests of Utah" with honor and distinction. Romney, a Mormon, has strong ties in the state, helping lead the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Death toll from DR Congo violence now 12 - protestersJan 03, 2018 - 02:19
António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, expressed concern about the outcome of the New Year protests. Organised by the Catholic church, the protests called for Kabila to step aside and allow new elections to held.

Patriots lock up first seed in AFCJan 01, 2018 - 00:24
Brady and the offense went to work, quickly moving 75 yards in just 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard TD run by Lewis. The Patriots crushed the Jets on Sunday, 26-6, to finish the regular season 13-3 and earn the top seed in the AFC.

Maine's minimum wage to increase to $10 an hourJan 01, 2018 - 00:20
Ohio's hourly minimum wage is about to rise again, with the rate going up by 15 cents an hour Monday from $8.15 to $8.30. Cathy Young, R-Olean, and Goodell for making sure the increase to $15 is phased in over the next few years.

Bitterly cold air arrives for New Year's EveDec 31, 2017 - 00:26
With winds coming out of the north at 20-30 miles per hour , many of our counties will feel like they're in the low 20s and teens. Texas experienced some wacky weather in 2017 and it looks like we could see more of that to end the year.

Coach Klopp pledges support to BrewsterDec 31, 2017 - 00:23
Jurgen Klopp has praised Rhian Brewster for speaking out about racial abuse in football and insisted that the 17-year-old will be helped and supported at Liverpool .

Winter Storm Persists Until the End of 2017Dec 31, 2017 - 00:23
New Year's Day will be nearly a mirror image of Sunday with temperatures reaching a high near 19 and a low of around 10. The temperature is expected to drop to a low around 13 Saturday night with winds of 8 to 10 miles per hour .

Apple raises pay for Tim Cook, other top executivesDec 30, 2017 - 00:27
Many analysts expect Apple to again repatriate funds for stock buybacks, which would raise the value of its executives' shares. The article previously stated Tim Cook received a private plane when he actually received the use of a private aircraft.

Unemployment rates drop in regionDec 29, 2017 - 00:44
Chambers County was one of the Alabama Counties to see an increase in unemployment figures in the month of November. The Alabama Department of Labor has released its latest unemployment estimates for the month of November.